Bunker drag



June 17,- 1924. 1,498,365

C. ERICKSQN BUNKER DRAG Filed Sept. 9, 1922 Patented June 17, 1924.

UNETEE @IAEES CHABLEY ERIGKSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

BUNKER DRAG.

Application filed September 9, 1922. Serial No. 587,130.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLEY ERIoKsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bunker Drags; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an extremely simple and highly efficient bunker drag especially adapted for use in keeping the bunkers of golf courses in proper condition, and to such ends, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

As is a well known fact, the bunkers of golf courses are usually faced with clay and, when packed, they become very hard so that a ball will roll too freely on the surface thereof. To prevent this, it is necessary quite. frequently to loosen up the bunker surface by raking, harrowing or like operation, and this operation with tools or devices hitherto used has been a slow and la borious operation. My invention provides a simple and efficient device for the above purpose, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate lik parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the improved so-called bunker drag; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

The body of the drag is in the form of a rectangular frame 3 preferably made of wood reinforced by metallic end straps 4 and, in addition to its front and rear transverse bars, having one or more intermediate transverse bars. These front, rear and intermediate transverse bars of said frame are provided with rake teeth 5, preferably large nails or spikes driven through the said wooden bars with their ends projecting two or three inches for contact with the ground. The frame 3 is reversible and, projecting from that side thereof that is opposite to its teeth 5, it is equipped with small wheels 6 journaled to brackets 7 secured to the end bars of said frame at points on one side of the central tooth bar, or, in other words, on

on side of the transverse center of gravity of said frame. This relative location of the wheels is important, as will presently apear.

A suitable hand bar 8, capable of use in pulling or pushing the drag, is pivoted or hinged to hinge lugs 9 secured on the front transverse bar of the frame 3 and projecting from the frame on the same side as the wheels 6. As shown, said hand bar 8 is provided with fork straps 10 that are directly pivoted to said lug 9. By reference to the drawings, it will be noted that the hinge lugs 9 are located far enough back of the front edge of the front bar frame 3 so that when the frame is turned with its teeth 5 projecting upwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, the heavy front portion of said frame will, under the action of gravity, cause said frame to rest on the fork straps 9, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby permitting the device to be freely moved on its wheels from one place to another when the frame is turned into inoperative position.

l/Vhen the drag is to be used on the bunker, the frame is turned over into the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby bringing the teeth into contact with the ground and carrying th wheels 6 above the ground. By pulling or pushing the drag positioned as shown in Fig. 2 over the bunker, the hard surface thereof will be broken up and raked or harrowed into a loose condition and formed with ridges that give a quite rough surface. Preferably, the bunker will be raked first in one direction and then in a direction at right angles to the direction of first raking. Such operations will leave the bunker surfacein very loose and quite rough condition and, if too rough, may be slightly rolled down until it is given the soft quite loose but not very smooth desired position.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A bunker drag comprising a reversible frame having teeth on one face, wheels on the other face, and a hand bar hinged to one edge thereof and movable with the frame when reversed to bring either face up.

2. A bunker drag comprising a reversible 105 frame having teeth on one face, wheels on the other face, and a hand bar hinged to one edge thereof and movable with the frame when reversed to bring either face up, the said wheels being located rearward of the transverse center of gravity of said frame, and said hand bar being hinged to said frame forward of-said transverse center of gravity and having a limited hinge movement so that when said frame is run upon its wheels with its teeth turned upward its 10 front edge will be stopped by and carried on said hand bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLEY ERICKSON. 

